EPA finds itself fighting a losing public-relations war against not just farm groups but also vocal Republican officials.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman on Monday called EPA "the enemy of agriculture."

On Wednesday, U.S. House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, went a little deeper, concluding that EPA maps of rivers and streams "show the EPA's plan to control a huge amount of private property across the country." Smith said EPA was engaging in a land grab.

At issue remains the proposed rule by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to redefine what "waters of the United States" means ...